Israel welcomed 120 new olim from France on Tuesday. A plane landing with 57 of these olim was met with an emotional reception ceremony attended by Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer, and chairman of the World Zionist Organization Yaakov Hagoel.
The influx primarily consisted of young families, with the average age being 29. Among them were 27 minors, with the youngest being a mere 7-month-old baby and the oldest aged 78.
Interestingly, a notable 18 families chose Yakir, a settlement in Samaria, as their new residence, a community which had already taken in 12 French immigrant families this summer. Other olim dispersed among cities including Jerusalem, Netanya, and Ashkelon.
Minister Sofer praised the olim as “the new pioneers” and emphasized efforts made under the ‘France Program’ to support such immigration. He extended his gratitude towards partners like the Jewish Agency and the Klitat Kehilot Israel (Israel Community Absorption) organization for their unwavering dedication to Jewish aliyah.